Dolphin Ctrl vs ShanWan Controller
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Dolphin Ctrl
This app transforms your phone into a GameCube controller for the Dolphin emulator. Connect wirelessly to your computer to play games with friends. Performance depends on network and emulator speed.
- Simulates GameCube controller
- Play games on Dolphin emulator
- Use phones as controllers
- Supports multiplayer
- Wireless connectivity
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Dolphin Ctrl simulates a GameCube controller and allows you and your friends to play games on the Dolphin emulator using your phones. Requires running the Dolphin Ctrl Server app on your computer running Dolphin. Download the server and read the instructions at https://github.com/apexskier/dolphin-controller. Note: Dolphin Controller can be slow depending the speed of your WiFi/bluetooth/remote network connect and the speed of the Dolphin emulator itself.
ShanWan Controller
This app aggregates controller-compatible games from various cloud and streaming platforms, including MFi and Apple Arcade titles. It also introduces custom controller protocols for expanded functionality and new ways to play.
- Game controller aggregation
- Cloud and streaming platform integration
- MFi and Apple Arcade game support
- Custom controller protocol
- Expanded controller functionality
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ShanWan Controller is a collection of games developed by ShanWan team, which can be controlled by game controller. Among them, we collect game controller games in various cloud platforms and streaming game platforms, such as Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, PS Remote Play, Steam Link, Geforce Now, etc; It also collected relevant MFi and Apple Arcade game controller games in the App Store. It is convenient for players to choose to download games. ShanWan Controller also contains ShanWan custom game controller protocol, which can realize more function expansion. Enrich the functions of game controller and provide more game controller playing methods.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: ShanWan Controller at every 2 months against Dolphin Ctrl's every 14 months. ShanWan Controller also leads on review sentiment (41% vs 14%) and ratings volume (35 vs 6). Dolphin Ctrl's advantage is rating (3.0 vs 2.8). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Dolphin Ctrl holds the better App Store score, 3.0 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ShanWan Controller has 35 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 14% of Dolphin Ctrl's written reviews are positive against 41% of ShanWan Controller's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Dolphin Ctrl ships an update every 14 months, ShanWan Controller every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on June 5, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Dolphin Ctrl | ShanWan Controller |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (6 ratings) — better | 2.8 (35 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 14.3% of reviews | 41.2% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 6 | 35 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 41 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Cameron Little | Shenzhen Qixiong Technology Co., Ltd. |
Customer experience
Dolphin Ctrl
ShanWan Controller
In-app purchases
Dolphin Ctrl
No in-app purchases
ShanWan Controller
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Dolphin Ctrl free?
Is ShanWan Controller free?
Which has better reviews, Dolphin Ctrl or ShanWan Controller?
Do Dolphin Ctrl or ShanWan Controller have ads?
Which is updated more often, Dolphin Ctrl or ShanWan Controller?
Other comparisons
